The Burnham Institute requests funding for the acquisition of an Applied Biosystems Q-Star Pulsar I mass spectrometer with an orthogonal MALDI sample introduction source. This is a modern state-of-the-art tandem mass spectrometer that has enhanced capabilities in terms of speed of analysis, sensitivity, automation, high-throughput, mass accuracy and mass resolution that cannot be met with existing instrumentation. The requested instrument will support an NIH funded user group conducting research across many therapeutic areas including cancer, allergy and inflammation, neurodegenerative disorders and cardiovascular disease. Many of these investigators have previous experience applying protein mass spectrometry analysis to their research programs. All will benefit from the technological enhancements the requested instrument provides. The Q-Star will be will be integrated, into the Institute's Molecular Analysis Facility, an established proteomics core facility. The instrument will be maintained and operated under the direction of a full-time Ph.D. level Director. Knowledge gained from the use of the Q-Star will be disseminated to the broader scientific community. Access to the mass spectrometer will be made available to scientists outside the major user group. The acquisition of the Q-Star instrument will enhance the Burnham Institute's broad, long-term effort of supporting and enabling world-class science at the interface of biology and mass spectrometry.